Name: One-Pot Rigatoni Ragu
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 pound mezzi rigatoni; 1 pound ground pork (see NOTES 1 for substitutions); 2 Tablespoons olive oil; 28 oz crushed tomatoes; 4 cups chicken bone broth (see NOTES 2 for substitutions); 1/2 cup 1% Milk; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried parsley; 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar lightly packed (see NOTES 3 for substitutions); 2 teaspoons fish sauce (see NOTES 3 for substitutions); Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1/4 cup (or more) freshly grated Parmesan for topping the pasta (optional)

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I’m back with another one-pot pasta dish! Allow me to introduce you to One Pot Rigatoni Ragu! The perfect Pasta dinner for ANY DAY of the week (not just Sunday). This pasta makes up in 45 minutes (or less depending on your stove), without straining or adding pasta. it all seriously cooks in ONE pot!

You don’t cook and then add the pasta after you make the “sauce”, you actually cook the pasta in broth! As everything cooks down and softens the pasta, it helps thicken and make the sauce. It helps keep your noodles from getting overcooked as well as adds this extra dimension to the pasta itself.

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WHAT MAKES THIS RECIPE SO GREAT?

Three reasons to love this one-pot rigatoni ragu recipe:

It makes up in less than an hour (between 45-30 minutes depending on your stove)!
It yields a rich, authentic marinara flavor, without having to stress on “special” or fancy ingredients.
There is no removing or draining of anything! You cook everything right in one pot (yes, including the pasta)

QUICK OVERVIEW

ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

MEZZI RIGATONI

Mezzi rigatoni pasta is perfect for this sauce. Its large diameter and ridges make it ideal for holding sauces both inside and out!

GROUND PORK

Ragu is a meat-based sauce, so in this case, I’m using ground pork (not Italian ground pork). but this can be changed out for equal parts ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey. Just make sure it’s ground meat vs a big roast. ground meat cooks faster, which is the point of this particular recipe.

OLIVE OIL

Olive oil is the fat necessary for flavor and dimension. Not just for cooking up the food. so make sure you get a favorite.

CANNED CRUSHED TOMATOES

Canned crushed tomatoes are the acid we need for the fat from the oil and the meat. Crushed are specifically used because I don’t have to do the work I would with whole tomatoes and they’re not as loose as tomato sauce would be. There’s some heft to them if you will. I chose canned because they are readily available all year round to pretty much everyone.

CHICKEN BONE BROTH

I use the Chicken broth to cook the pasta in vs water to give some extra flavor right away. If you’re looking for a great option, check out Gourmends Bone and Veg Broths! They are a delicious and perfect addition to your pantry. These broths replace symptom-causing ingredients with the highest quality, gut-loving, flavorful ingredients. Try their broths today and use code: JENNSMITH15 to get 15% off your order.

MILK

I know it sounds strange but trust me when I say milk adds an amazing dimension to this sauce. Believe it or not, it is a traditional ingredient in some parts of Italy to add milk to the ragu.

GARLIC & ONION POWDER, FENNEL, SEEDS, DRIED OREGANO, & PARSLEY

Each of these ingredients can be found in some Italian sausage recipes. since I’m not using Italian sausage I chose to use these ingredients instead. I’m using dried to make it easier for anyone to make this at home.

ITALIAN SEASONING

Just adds more of those flavors you expect in a tomato pasta sauce. and once again, as always, I try to use dried to make it easier for anyone to make this at home.

DARK BROWN SUGAR

dark brown sugar is essential when you’re using canned tomatoes. canned tomatoes are sharp and very acidic. the brown sure adds a slight sweetness to counter that acid. It also adds a nice depth to it that other sugar would not add, but in a pinch use equal parts granulated white sugar, honey, or maple syrup.

FISH SAUCE

BEFORE YOU JUDGE THIS, hear me out! Fish sauce adds umami! This is the Asian version of adding anchovies. I always have this in my fridge and so I tend to use a lot, more so than I do anchovy paste. However, if you have anchovy paste and no fish sauce, use equal parts anchovy paste instead. Read more about fish sauce in my How to: Use Fish Sauce post.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

This is just the cooking directions for my One-Pot Rigatoni Ragu. For the full recipe, keep scrolling down.

Step One: With your burner at medium-high heat; cook the meat *add a good pinch of salt*.

Step Two: Once the meat is fully cooked, add the garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, dried oregano, and dried parsley Stir until combined.

JENN’S TIP

Mise en place (the French culinary term which means “putting in place” or “gather”) is essential for my One-Pot Rigatoni Ragu recipe. Have everything ready to go so you can add each ingredient right away. It cooks up quickly, which means it can also end badly just as quickly if you don’t have everything ready.

Step Three: Next, add the chicken bone broth, then the mezzi rigatoni. Stir and bring to a simmer, turn down to medium-low, cover, and cook until the pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally to help prevent sticking. *There should be a little broth left at the bottom of the pot.*

Step Four: Add the crushed tomatoes, and ring back up to medium-high. Once it starts bubbling, add the 1% Milk, dark brown sugar, and fish sauce. Continue cooking, constantly stirring until the sauce is thick and the pasta is perfectly cooked thickens. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

One-Pot Rigatoni Ragu - cooked meat and spices added

One-Pot Rigatoni Ragu - adding broth to spices and meat

Serve immediately. Optionally, finish the pasta with freshly grated Parmesan. Try my Cheesy Garlic Bread for a perfect meal for everyone!

One-Pot Rigatoni Ragu on a plat next to garlic bread

COOKING WITH KIDS

DISCLOSURE: Please keep in mind that the following tips are general and are meant to be suggestive. I personally use these strategies with my own kids, who are all unique even within my own family of five. Therefore, please regard these as suggestions or ideas. If you feel that your child requires more or less assistance, then go with what you and your child are comfortable with. Ultimately, you know your child best.

measuring ingredients
Peeling garlic cloves
opening cans
older kids can help cut or cook.

STORAGE DETAILS

This one-pot ragu recipe can last about 3–5 days in the refrigerator if stored in an airtight food-safe container and cooled slightly before storing.

LOOKING FOR MORE ONE-POT WONDERS?

Check out these yummy pasta sauce recipes:

finished One-Pot Rigatoni Ragu next to garlic bread

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Please take a moment to leave a comment and provide a star rating below. If you share a picture on Instagram don’t forget to tag me @jenngiamsmith! I always share your posts on my story and tag you!

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One-Pot Rigatoni Ragu

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Indulge in the irresistible flavors of One-Pot Rigatoni Ragu! This simple yet mouthwatering recipe allows you to cook the pasta and sauce in a single pot, resulting in a delectably rich and satisfying dish ready in just 45 minutes. Treat your taste buds to this delightful culinary experience today!

Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 5 people 1x

Instructions

With your burner at medium-high heat; cook the meat *add a good pinch of salt*.
Once the meat is fully cooked, add 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, and the garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, dried oregano, and dried parsley Stir until combined.
Next, add the chicken bone broth, then the mezzi rigatoni. Stir and bring to a simmer, turn down to medium-low, cover, and cook until the pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally to help prevent sticking. *There should be a little broth left at the bottom of the pot.*
Add the crushed tomatoes, and ring back up to medium-high. Once it starts bubbling, add the 1% Milk, the other Tablespoon dark brown sugar, and the other teaspoon fish sauce. Continue cooking, constantly stirring until the sauce is thick and the pasta is perfectly cooked thickens. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Optionally, finish the pasta with freshly grated Parmesan.